The Magic Of The Family Meal Analysis

In Nancy Gibbs essay, “The Magic of the Family Meal”, she points out a number of studies that support her ideas of the importance of the family meal over time. The decline of the sit down family mealtime and the traditions that surround it has greatly impacted this generation with an overall loss in community, encroaching upon the success of kids in school, and health, our meals have become so easy that their significance has been lost along with the cultivation of civilization in our children. While this may sound dire, we may only need to revisit our roots. Growing up, I have experienced eating meals with and without my family. As a small child, our meals were mostly prepared by our mom and served. We always had placemats we made or that had some significance, like the alphabet or maps. As we got older and we started to do more activities things switched a little. Eating out more or on the road, picnics, or Burgerville. However, we were still mainly together. There have been times where we are consistently eating together, and times where we

The art of cooking allows for one to understand serving sizes and what goes in the meal. When cooking a meal together, children get an understanding of the energy, effort and decisions in planning and serving a meal. They are less likely to eat fast food. Where Gibbs writes about “meals being informal, a kind of refueling; often only men sat down,”(213). In the early days, we have arrived at that same place once again. Seriously, In and Out Burger says it all. Public service messages promoting for a more wholesome family mealtime while referencing scientific research on how this may promote a healthy body, mind, and soul has had some impact. Eating together, should be a ritual. It is a time to communicate with family, a time for understanding, savoring each day's